Initiation
by Metamorcy
Summary: Six months after the invasion Loki finds himself being sent to Midgard for protection, accompanied by Thor and hidden from Asgard. He doesn't understand why, it's strange as it is considering he's supposed to be punished and imprisoned for his crimes. Still, he'll take advantage of his situation. If only his past wouldn't come back to haunt him, especially one he hadn't even known.
1. Chapter 1

**Title**: Initiation

**Author**: Metamorcy

**Summary:** Six months after the invasion Loki finds himself being sent to Midgard for protection, accompanied by Thor and hidden from Asgard. He doesn't understand why, it's strange as it is considering he's supposed to be punished and imprisoned for his crimes. Still, he'll take advantage of his situation. If only his past wouldn't come back to haunt him, especially one he hadn't even known existed.

**Pairing**: none

**Rating**: T

**Disclaimer:** Seriously? Don't own, just the idea

**A/N**: First story in this fandom. I'm still trying to get used to the personalities so don't hesitate to let me know if I got something wrong. Anyway, this is more of a plot-heavy story and won't focus on romantic relationships. Enjoy!

Beta'd by Ankou13 and WhiteAngel128

* * *

**Chapter 1**

Loki had expected many things when he was returned to Asgard; having his powers stripped away, being left to rot in a jail cell for the rest of his life, impending execution, all that and more passed through his mind as he travelled the path towards his once-home. After all he had done, that outcome for his activities was too obvious. He would be a fool not to expect it after being captured, a real fool not to know of the consequences for his failure. Of course, he didn't regret what he had done: not at all. Every action in his life had been committed with a purpose, with no regret, and he would continue on with that even at the thought of facing his death at the hands of his adoptive father or executioner-to-be.

Thor was at his side as he was pulled towards the Allfather in the throne room and his mother next to him on the dais, staring down at her youngest in worry. His blue eyes glanced towards the woman and gave her a small smile. He'd admit only to himself that he had _some_ regret towards causing his mother so much worry, the one person who had really cared about him despite being of another race. She had treated him with the same love and kindness as Thor, like he was truly her own flesh and blood despite knowing the truth of his history. As their eyes connected, he watched as his mother broke down and cried on his behalf, trying to speak to him to stop him from doing something stupid. She was trying to prevent him from opening his mouth and saying something that might heighten his punishment for his crimes. She knew him well after all, knew that his tongue wouldn't be held back against the man who had stolen him and forced him to live a life of lies. Oh how he hated the Allfather.

His hands and legs were in chains, preventing him from moving or accessing his magic. It was the best way to restrain him until his trial with Odin and to keep him under control. Frigga wrapped her arms around him and for a moment, Loki was delighted at the warmth she brought with her grasp. It was comforting and there was a momentary thought that passed through his mind: he had missed that touch. He had missed the warm hugs from Frigga and could feel her nails digging into his back as if trying to keep herself attached. Thor patted his back gently as he muttered the words of 'brother' and 'please' but Loki didn't bother to listen. It was the same speech his mother had given in hopes of keeping him quiet. Eventually, the Queen had to pull away and a flicker of emotion passed through her expression, showing just how reluctant she was at the action.

"So," Loki started, gazing at Odin with a smirk while keeping up his agitated appearance despite the fear that was slowly beginning to seep in. He was afraid of the result, knowing there were only two choices before him that could go various ways. Loki was familiar with punishments from Odin from the past and he would expect nothing else. "What shall await me?"

"Hold your tongue," Odin's voice boomed through the area, commanding silence from his adopted son. He watched as Loki went quiet but didn't show a strain of emotion on his expression, gazing down at the other from his throne. Everyone waited for the result, the fate of their once prince. "You have committed a great many crimes against the realms, against the throne, and against those around you, that cannot go unpunished."

"I would expect that." Loki muttered under his breath, knowing fully well that everyone could hear him.

Odin glared for a moment, his only visible eye narrowing slightly at the comment. Thor could not look at his brother, turning away in sadness, and Frigga continued to cry in misery. "For the crimes you have executed against Asgard and Midgard, I sentence you to imprisonment in our dungeon's lowest level and to be stripped of your magic until you have learned your lesson. Though your magic might be returned to you, the dungeon will no doubt keep it contained to ensure no chances of escape. You are to have no visitors and will be subjected to isolation for one hundred years. After that, you will be allowed visitors, but you will forever remain in that cell for the rest of your life."

Loki sneered angrily and opened his mouth to voice a retort, but the guard beside him had shoved him slightly. It was enough to make him switch his focus from his words against the Allfather to the annoying man beside him, yanking himself back so that he wouldn't fall down. Out of the corner of his eyes, he could see Odin rising from his throne with his spear in hand, looking dignified as usual. Loki rotated his body so that he could be directly in front, watching as the older man slowly moved down the stairs towards him. He held his breath, knowing exactly what would come next. He had seen it done multiple times to others who wielded magic and knew the pain that would come from it would burn into his entire being. Still, he refused to give anyone the pleasure of seeing himself suffer and he would remain strong despite knowing his fate. The Allfather stopped before him, just a foot away, and stared at him with a calm gaze. Loki sneered. "What? What's the hold up? I'm waiting."

Frigga grumbled from the side, yelling at him to stop antagonizing his father. Thor, despite the fact that Loki knew he knew the importance of remaining quiet, yelled at his father, argued that imprisonment was enough and the stripping of his brother's powers was simply too much. Loki blinked in confusion, gazing at Thor in question before turning away. He couldn't allow any emotion to slip past his mask, none. It had to be contained, condensed, and fixed. Only hatred, anger, and detest slithered through his eyes, making sure that Odin would be able to see it freely. But the flickering of his eyes towards his brother wasn't missed by the family members more in tune with Loki's habits.

As Odin raised his hand up towards his chest, Loki sucked in a breath and held it for a few seconds before releasing it. It was going to hurt, it was going to tear him apart, and he wouldn't have it any other way.

_Is this what you really want?_

_This isn't your true wish._

Loki kept his gaze on Odin's one eye and he felt the hand pressing against his chest, knowing that it was only moments before everything was gone. Everything he had worked for, and known, would all disappear. He would become powerless, weak, and useless. He would become everything he wasn't from just one little action.

"You have disappointed me, Loki. I thought you would know better." Odin whispered, keeping his hand pressed against his chest.

The black-haired male just chuckled in amusement. "I care no longer for you or your praise. You are no father of mine, not anymore."

_No. No. No. No._

_Leave him alone!_

"You are my son."

There was a twitch on Loki's lips at the response. "No, you used me. You stole me. You wanted to keep me hidden away until you found a use for me. Don't you dare try to lie to me! I know better and more than you ever will!"

_Don't touch him. Don't touch him!_

_How dare you. How dare you, Odin!_

"I see. So there is no point in reasoning with you any longer," Odin simply blinked. "Then so be it." His fingers began to glow and Loki bit down on his bottom lip to contain the screams that would tear through his throat. His eyes automatically closed and knew he had forgotten to breathe. This was it. This would be the end of him. He wanted to laugh, but he dared not move his mouth in fear of letting something else out. Oh, how he wanted to laugh in spite of his misery. He wanted to ingrain his voice into everyone's minds and haunt them for the rest of their lives. Of course, he didn't bother. There was no point. Before long, he would become nothing more than a forgotten memory to everyone, left abandoned down below in the dungeons for the rest of his life. Even if he got his magic back on good behavior, he would never be able to leave that place, ever.

Oh well.

As he felt Allfather's powers begin to slip through, Loki opened his eyes to peer at the older man. Why did he suddenly feel at… _peace_? Loki blinked again in confusion, feeling the powers making its way towards the center of his body, to the core of his soul where his magic laid. Why did it feel like he didn't care? Like he was warm and being embraced? It didn't belong to Odin. No, this wasn't Odin's power. It was something else. 'What…' He felt as darkness began to overwhelm his mind and he closed his eyes halfway in content. It was better if he let himself slide away, to let this all be over. Loki could only feel at peace, unable to tear himself away or focus on his current situation. He could feel a pair of hands wrapped gently around his body, warm and blissful. It felt wonderful and before he knew it, he fell into a pleasurable sleep. However, just before he drifted away, he could see Odin's surprised expression and smirked in amusement.

_You can't win, Odin._

_Never._

* * *

_Life asked Death,_

'_Death,_

_Why do people love me, but hate you?'_

_Death responded,_

'_Because you are a beautiful lie_

_And I am the painful truth.'_

* * *

Loki snapped his eyes awake and raised his body into a sitting position. He breathed heavily as sweat dripped down his body and blinked rapidly as he tried to focus on his surroundings. His eyes spiraled around the room, locating the decorations and items that surrounded him as he tried to clear his mind. He was in the dungeons. He knew that for a fact from just the outside surroundings, having been down here many times in the past whenever he and Thor had dragged criminals into the cells. The glowing anti-magic yellow walls that prevented his escape were encased around him from all sides, keeping him contained within a small living space. He knew there was no escape - he would be trapped in this very room for the rest of his life. The outside beyond the yellow walls were empty, no other prisoner in the area except him. He would be confined on his own, isolated from everyone just as Odin had demanded.

Sighing heavily, he observed his room a little more. He had the basics to live in this room: a bed, a desk, some chairs, a chest of drawers, a stand, and a door to a room he suspected was the bathroom. Everything was simple. Loki sneered angrily and sat up further in his bed, swinging his feet off the side. His eyes peered down towards his hands and body. He was still dressed in the same clothes, unchanged except for his coat that was draped neatly over a chair. Despite being a high-class criminal, he was being treated better than others who had been given some ugly robes and nothing else. How funny.

As he stood up, expecting to collapse onto the floor from his lack of magic, he blinked in confusion. He didn't feel any different. He didn't feel like anything had changed. Loki peered towards his hands and immediately tried to use magic. The God of Mischief could feel that familiar, powerful surge of power as it rushed through his body and poured from his hands. A sphere of green light encased above his hands, floating gently as it glowed brilliantly. 'What?'

He had his magic, he could still produce magic. _How_? He was certain that it would be gone along with a part of his soul. A part of his very being would disappear with his magic since that was how it worked after all. So how could he still have magic? It didn't make sense. Odin was about to take it away, he remembered that along with the flow of Odin's powers slipping into his very body. So why?

Loki sneered again, making his spell begin to dissipate, before tossing it at the yellow walls. The ball of light vanished against the wall, disappearing. "Looks like this place might really be able to hold me down. Impressive, Odin. You probably built this place in mind to keep someone like me encaged, knowing that those average cells wouldn't be able to hold my powers."

Not bothering with the walls any longer, he wandered about his newfound room to see where everything was. There was a chest he hadn't noticed before and he opened it to see some of his old stuff from his bedroom. It ranged from books, some decorations to even a blanket he had on his old bed. Loki smiled at the thought before heading to the chest of drawers, peaking inside only to see his old clothes he had worn before the whole throne incident. This must have been from his mother, he just knew it. It could only be from her. Even after everything that had happened, he couldn't hate her - not at all.

Pulling out some clothes, he ran his fingers through the fabric and his mind couldn't help but flash back to the nostalgia of the past. He still remembered the days when he was still innocent about his life, his family, his identity. It was all over of course, but sometimes he wished he could go back to those days of peacefulness. However, it was impossible, not with the hatred that was burning through his veins. Loki shook his head, he couldn't get attached or emotional, not now. He collected a set of clothes to change into, wanting to get out of the ones he had worn since his appearance in Midgard. Running a hand through his hair as he slicked the falling locks back, he decided he really needed a bath and with that in mind, he stood up to make his way towards the bathroom.

* * *

Loki sighed blissfully, feeling clean and at ease despite being contained in a jail cell. Washing all the blood and dirt from his recent battles off his body and putting some clean clothes over himself felt great, and he decided to stroll around his room once more before settling into his chair. Using some magic, he got the chest to open and make his various books spill out into one neat stack. Once he was comfortable with the position, he flicked his finger to make one appear in his hands and peered at the title. The books weren't exactly those he wanted to have, but it was better than nothing. At least he would have something to hold his attention while he waited for the Allfather to appear. Loki smirked, knowing very well that Odin would have to appear sooner or later. There was no doubt he needed some answers as to why he still had his magic. The only thing he remembered before he lost consciousness was the widening of Odin's eyes.

'How strange.' He played with his magic a little more, feeling the power flow freely without any sort of containment, only to dissipate when it touched the yellow walls. He tch'ed.

Within a few hours, his ears picked up the sound of footsteps and smirked in amusement. Looks like they had come, they were too impatient. Still, despite knowing he had guests, he remained in his position, unmoved. He would not give them any sort of satisfaction of seeing him miserable. He continued to listen, no longer paying attention to his book, and focused on their footsteps. They were rushing and he recognized a few within the bunch. His cursed adoptive father was there, coming to meet him, along with his mother, but no Thor. He could recognize Thor's heavy footsteps miles away, it wasn't hard. He watched from the corner of his eyes as the group of people appeared, surrounding his cell to ensure that they could see him from all sides. Odin stood before him, Frigga at his side, and stared at the person he had once called his son.

"My, my, what's this?" Loki chuckled, kicking his feet onto the table. The book was still kept on his lap, his eyes peering over the pages, but not reading. "And here I thought I was to be isolated. What's with the surprise visit?"

"Loki," Odin spoke first, stepping closer with his spear slamming down against the floor. "What have you done to yourself? Tell me."

This brought on confusion, Loki immediately covering it up, and tilted his head back against the edge of the chair. "Whatever do you mean?" His voice was filled with mockery, keeping it straight despite his own confusion. "Though I am quite curious as to why I still retain my magic. I thought you were going to strip it away." To prove his words, he created a green mist, spinning it around his form.

There was some grumbling from various people along the cell walls, some he recognized from the council. Odin didn't show any emotion and stood his ground. "I was. However, something stopped me before I could start," Loki narrowed his eyes at that, putting down his feet to show that he was listening. "How did you manage to stop me?

The black-haired male peered around once more before refocusing on the Allfather. He was curious, he didn't understand either and he was certain he hadn't done anything. He had been weakened and defenseless against Odin. He wouldn't have been able to fight back at all. "I didn't do anything."

"You did."

"I didn't." Loki fought back.

Odin didn't speak up against that for a few seconds and continued to observe the man behind the wall. "You really don't know?"

"Of course not, you old fool," There was some snarling from the men around him at his offence, but he ignored it all. He didn't bother covering up his confusion. "You know I don't have the ability to stop you. Not yet, at least." He smirked in amusement, riling the people around his cage further.

"Loki, stop that," Frigga stepped forward, her hands against her chest as she looked at her son. There was a flash of fear hiding within her eyes, noticeable to Loki himself. "Please, just answer our questions honestly. We're concerned about you."

"Oh really," Loki snorted, but didn't go any further, backing down at his mother's voice. "Keep going."

"When Odin tried to… take your powers, something struck out and attacked him. He got away before anything happened, but you lost consciousness along the way. You collapsed and we ended up bringing you here. Everyone was shocked about what happened."

Loki hummed gently to himself, curious about the matter. He didn't understand this subject at all. It was odd. "What exactly do you mean by 'something'? Did it appear out of nowhere?"

"From your body. It wrapped around you protectively and attacked anyone who tried to get close."

"Strange… I don't remember casting any sort of spell. I don't even know a spell that can do that," The sorcerer rubbed underneath his chin as his mind went over the details. No spell he could think of would do something like that. He needed more information. There was no way he could form an idea without that critical information he was missing. "What happened to those that were attacked?"

"We're not sure. We were lucky they got away before anything happened."

Loki's curiosity on the subject began to grow stronger. He wished he had seen it himself. At least then he might have an answer. He tilted his head to one side and stepped around the room curiously. He ran a hand through his hair, pushing the locks back, and chuckled gently. It was a shame that nothing had happened to those attacked, at least then he might have something. Regardless, he truly didn't know anything. "I'm afraid I don't know anything about what happened. If you have nothing else to speak to me about, then leave."

There were more harsh mutterings from the men around, arguing that they should just kill Loki or not believe him and his lies. Odin and Frigga did nothing, keeping quiet before looking at each other and finally turning away. There was no point in continuing the conversation with their son; it was pointless at this time. Loki watched as the cluster of people vanished behind the wall as they went up the stairs, leaving him alone with his thoughts. For a moment, he smirked before settling back into his chair and lifting up his book. He flipped open the cover and returned to where he had been before he was interrupted. He could think about the details later, he had all the time in the world to do so after all.

* * *

Here's the first chapter. Hope it's interesting for you readers. Let me know if I should continue this.


	2. Chapter 2

**Title**: Initiation

**Author**: Metamorcy

**Summary:** Six months after the invasion, Loki finds himself being send back to Midgard for protection with Thor, hiding away from Asgard. He doesn't understand why, it's strange as it is considering he's supposed to be punished and imprisoned for his crimes. Still, he'll take advantage of his situation. Though if only his past wouldn't come back to haunt him, one he hadn't even known existed.

**Pairing**: none

**Rating**: T

**Disclaimer:** Seriously? Don't own, just the idea

**A/N:** No one let me know about the mistake in the previous chapter on the lines. Opps.

Beta'd by WhiteAngel128 and Ankou13

* * *

**Chapter 2**

Six months. It had been six months since Loki had been imprisoned and throughout all that time he hadn't been bothered in the slightest. It was no doubt boring. He had long since finished reading and rereading all the books he had in his cell, even with the new ones his mother tried to sneak in to him. Over time, he had quickly fallen into a routine, one that had made most of the day. The only thing that let him know about the transition of time was the food that came to him on trays. It was the only way to identify what was going on since there were no windows to see anything. For every breakfast tray he would use a quill he'd found in his chest to make a mark on the wall. It helped him know just how long he had been here and after a while he'd drawn out a calendar. Throughout the entire time, he hadn't seen any of his family, only the guards that would come and give him food and clean clothes. Any of his dirty items would be transported outside the room to be cleaned and would be returned within one or two days' time.

Loki found himself sleeping longer than usual despite being an early riser. For him, when he slept, he was at least able to escape the world around him and dream of something else. He would dream of the past, of his future, and his present. There were times he would have those fantasy dreams that belonged more to the humans, but it was welcoming since it gave him something to smile about. The simplicity was nice. Of the past, he would remember the games he had played with his brother and his friends or the adventures they had taken together. He remembered his mother reading to him when he was a child, teaching him magic when it was revealed he had a high potential for it, and following her around during her duties as the queen of Asgard. As for his adoptive father, there weren't many since he had always been thrown aside as a shadow and these memories only heightened the rage that burned deep within him.

For a little while, Loki missed his brother and his loudness. At least when Thor was around there wasn't much to worry about except for his brother's safety and actions. Loki would never admit it, but he never quite hated his brother, his rage for the entire family had stemmed from Odin, the one who had started it all. Perhaps, if the whole 'finding out about his relations' never happened, they would still be together as a happy family and with their odd sibling rivalry. Of course, this was all in the past. There wasn't much he could do.

For his present, he dreamed of what he had done on Midgard, of his talks with Odin before he was imprisoned, his time with the Chitauri and Thanos, and of the cell itself. There wasn't much to do, but it was more interesting than to be awake in his cell and wander about with his eyes open.

The future was different and was more vivid. He dreamed of when he would be released, of when he would see his mother again, and even the horrors of still being trapped after a thousand years. It was both positive and negative and they always switched whenever he went into depth of those dreams.

When he was awake, sometimes his magic would keep him entertained as it reenacted certain dreams in reality. There were times he would just practice his skills to keep them sharp, not wanting to let them fade away. Loki wondered if he would ever see his spell books again, not that he needed them since he had already memorized all the spells they contained. Still, it was a nice memento from the past and would give him something to do in his boredom.

His baths would take longer, sitting in the water for an hour as it sprayed across his face and body. He would just close his eyes and listen to the droplets as they splattered against the surface of his skin and the tub. Sometimes he would sit too long and the water would turn cold, causing his skin to transform at the iciness. Loki would simply sneer and step out, drying himself off completely in an effort to keep the blue down. It took a few tries, but eventually his skin would turn back to the peachy hue he was more used to.

Despite his attempts to keep himself from growing too bored, he knew it wouldn't be too much longer before it started to set in. There was only so much he could do and he tried to keep himself from exhausting everything he knew each day just so he had something to do the next.

Loki found himself lying down on his bed, aware that his lunch was already in his room. However, he didn't feel like getting up just yet and he continued to rest his mind as it went blank. He didn't want to think, it made it easier in preventing himself from getting emotional. It was hard to not have anyone talk to him since he was so used to having someone there, even when he didn't like it. Shifting his body, he looked towards his meal, eyeing it before refusing to move from his comfortable position. He could get it later. There was no point in doing so at this time. A few more days passed since then and he found himself lying in bed more often.

'How long will I be here?' Loki thought momentarily. 'Until I learn my lesson? What lesson?' He sneered angrily for a moment, his rage for Odin growing instead of receding. He would hate his adoptive father, no matter what happened. His mother, on the other hand, could only be loved. She had always treated him the same as Thor and so he couldn't hate her even when he wanted to. His brother… that was a hard one to place. He hated his brother, hated him for how he had changed, and at the same time, he was jealous that some human mortal had managed to change Thor within days while he had been working on it for years. It wasn't fair, it just wasn't.

'I wish I could just leave… Asgard is no longer my home. Even if I managed to escape or be released, there's no chance Asgard will allow me to freely wander the lands. Not once they find out that I'm one of the Frost Giants they are meant to hate and kill.' Loki sighed heavily and closed his eyes. He rolled around in his bed so that he could be lying on his abdomen and buried his face into his pillow. The coolness of the fabric felt great against his skin and he placed a hand underneath the pillow to prop his head up. He didn't even bother with the covers, not caring if they bunched up under his body, and quickly curled up. The temperature never bothered him. He could take any amount of extreme cold easily due to his origin and the heat was never a problem. He was called the 'God of Fire' for a reason after all. Sighing blissfully, he felt himself drifting away into the darkness of sleep. His right hand had fallen off the edge of the bed, hanging downward and he could touch the floor with the tip of his fingers. However, he was too content in his position to do anything but lay there.

* * *

Thor sighed heavily as he glanced down at his lunch for the day. It was similar to how it normally was every other day, but he didn't mind. The food was always good when he had the gathering of his friends and companions. Still, that didn't stop his thoughts from running away as he thought back to his brother. Everything seemed to remind him of Loki and it was starting to get hard to ignore. His friends had realized what was happening to him and had attempted to make things better by distracting him, but there was little that could be done. Thor chugged down a mug of ale in hopes of forgetting about what was going on around him before slamming it down, wanting to take a walk to clear his head.

The warriors three and Sif all stared at him for a moment before shaking their heads, knowing that despite their efforts this was something Thor had to deal with himself. The blonde made his way down the hallways, carrying his fateful weapon at his waist, and circled around the courtyard of the palace before wandering into the chamber sections of the royals. He stopped for a moment at Loki's room, but passed it by to keep his mind off his brother. He wished he could have understood his brother sooner, then this might have never happened and Loki would still be beside him. Though he knew that most of the fault had to lie within Odin's hand, Thor strongly based that assumption on the many orders Odin had thrown at Loki to keep him still. He knew that the madness within Loki had been slowly rising and when he looked back, he had seen signs of it, but had ignored it with his victories of battle. He should have known better, he should have.

As Thor moved towards the area where the dungeons were located, he blinked in question when he spotted something slowly coming his way from the distance. And then he heard a scream. Thor blinked, startled by the sound before acting in response. Taking Mjolnir into his hand, he flew off, following the sound of the screams carefully. He landed in an area not too far from the dungeons and took a look over the area that was filled with chaos. "What's happening? Tell me!"

A few people were running away and Thor glanced towards the opposite direction. He needed to know what they were running from. "What the…" The guards were staring at what was approaching them like he was. 'Is that… darkness?' He stepped closer to the line that seemed to be sliding over every object it touched. It was like a mist that floated against the ground and everything that it touched seemed to… _rot_. The trees were dying, dried up as their bark turned black and the leaves crinkling until they turned into dust.

"My Prince! What's going on?" One of the men called out, fear and confusion apparent in their expressions.

"I don't know! But don't touch that dark mist!" He didn't need to tell them twice as the men ran off in fear of ending up like the trees. The chairs and vases followed the same situation, but it looked more like they had aged greatly over a long course of time, crumbling into dust. Thor wasn't sure on what to do, he had never seen anything like this and it only left him confused and unsure of himself. 'If only Loki was here. He would know what to do…'

It was only at that mentioning when he realized that his brother was on the other side and the darkness could be seen within the doors. A flash of fear slipped through his face, scared for his brother's life. He didn't know what would happen if someone touched the mist. He got his answer when a scream came from one of the men beside him. Thor snapped his head towards it and could only watch in horror as the mist seemingly drained the life out of the man's body, leaving him nothing more than a pile of bones. The armor followed the same process and Thor bit down on his bottom lip in hesitation. 'If that can be done to them, then Loki is in danger! Please be alive, brother!'

_Go!_

Stepping forward, he reached out towards the mist to see if it would have the same effect as it had towards the man. He bit down on his bottom lip, wondering if this was really a good decision. He could hear Loki's voice echoing in the back of his head, scolding him for doing something so stupid. But oddly, he didn't feel like the darkness was threatening him. No, it was just there, hovering, and so he touched it. He expected pain, the same thing that had happened to the men, but there was nothing. The mist went around his hands and didn't really touch him, like it had been repelled. Thor raised an eyebrow in question as he stared at his hand, but shook his head. He had something more important to do: get his brother to safety. He turned towards the men. "Guards, get everyone away from here! And let Allfather know about this as well!"

Stepping into the mist, he ignored the surprised yelps from the men and ran forward. Quickly making his way towards the dungeon where he knew Loki had been placed, he slammed open the doors and looked at the area. Immediately, he grimaced at the sight that fell before him. The various men who had been taken as prisoners were dead, the same effect that had occurred to the guards outside had occurred here. Fear creeping up from his soul, he ran forward to the next level where he knew his brother would be located.

"Brother!" Thor dashed off down the stairs, heading straight to the person whom he cared about deeply despite the dislike the other held against him. He ignored his surroundings, not wanting to see the damage that had been done, and quickly made his way down the stairs to the underground dungeon. Out the corner of his eyes, as he passed the various prison cells, Thor noticed that the prisoners and guards alike were all in the same condition as the disintegrated men. He continued to run and opened the door to the room that Loki was sealed in to remain isolated. Thor gasped, the yellow walls were gone. Letting out a small curse, he ran forward, hoping that the trickster hadn't gotten too far or ended up like one of the men who had been drained completely of life. However, when he came to the room, he spotted his dear brother draped over the bed almost like… some sort of doll. A small sigh of relief slipped through his lips, glad to see his brother alive and whole.

However, that thought was pushed out of his mind as his eyes went over the entire figure of his brother. Loki was lying on his stomach as if he had simply flopped lazily onto the bed, the covers underneath his form. His head was barely on the pillow, probably having slid off, with one arm underneath. The real problem was the other arm. Loki's right arm was hanging off the side of the bed, touching the floor and was surrounded by black snake-like streams of darkness. That same darkness was pouring onto the floor, the thing that was creating the wave of destruction.

"Brother!" Thor automatically rushed forward, kneeling down beside his brother. His eyes continued to look over the figure, seeing nothing wrong - at least expression-wise. Loki looked strangely content, his breathing even with no sign of distress. There were no lines of strain or frustration and it was clear he was in a deep state of sleep. As he reached towards his brother's right hand, there was a flash of hesitation within Thor's eyes. He was afraid that he might end up like the rest of the men who had been attacked, but in the end, he rapidly shook his head. "You won't purposefully hurt me, brother. I trust you." Touching the hand, the darkness vanished, but not before wrapping around Thor's hand. There was no harm, but he couldn't help but shiver at the touch. A chill ran down his spine and the touch of darkness felt like something was pressing against his skin before it was gone. The darkness had receded, vanishing into wisps, but the damage it left behind remained.

Taking the disappearance as a signal for the chaos to have ended, Thor reached over and turned Loki onto his back. The God of Lies and Mischief didn't stir at his brother's touch and continued to sleep like nothing had happened. His chest continued to rise and fall with each breath, his lips just slightly open. Loki looked nothing like the being who had invaded Midgard and Thor smiled for a moment, finding the scene content. It was a shame he would have to awaken his brother to find out what had happened.

"Brother! Wake up!" He gave a hard shove, watching as Loki's eyebrows twitch at the force. However, his brother didn't stir, continuing to sleep. Thor gave another shove, rougher this time and finally got the response he desired.

Loki's eyes fluttered open, filled with sleep and tiredness. He peered around the room momentarily before stopping on his brother in question and chuckled. "My, I thought I was supposed to be isolated. I must be delusional." He proceeded to close his eyes again to ignore the illusion he was most likely having.

"Brother, you're not dreaming. I am real!" Thor wrapped his hands around one of Loki's and gave a squeeze in hopes that this would help wake his brother further. The younger male was paler than usual and just looked exhausted, like he had used too much of his strength. Thor didn't understand how that was entirely possible. "Please, you must wake up!"

"I am awake, you insufferable oaf," Loki growled in annoyance, but refused to move, his body too exhausted to do anything. He didn't remember doing anything that would cause such a situation. Slowly sitting up, he pushed the other male gently to gain some distance. "And why are you here? Disobeying Odin's orders? How funny."

"Something has happened, brother," Loki raised an eyebrow at that and watched as the blond continued. "Magic coming out from your body has attacked Asgard. It's the same as during your trial. But this time it's was spreading rapidly and destroying whatever it touched."

The sorcerer's eyes widened in surprise and tried to stand up, only to collapse back down onto his bed. He was so tired, but he attempted it once more, he refused to be weak. His eyes started to droop again as sleep tried to appeal to his mind. "Then why are you unharmed? And why am I so… tired…" Before he knew it, Loki had collapsed back down, this time into Thor's arms which managed to catch him in time before tumbling off the bed. His cheeks were pressed against Thor's chest and he sighed heavily, unable to find the strength to argue.

"Brother? Brother!" The blonde tried to shake his brother once more, but got no response this time. All that kept him from outright panicking was the fact that Loki was still breathing and that he could feel the cool pulse of his brother's heart on his fingertips. Narrowing his eyes at the sight, he bit down on his bottom lip as he tried to figure out what to do. It wasn't a good situation, not at all. He was smart enough to at least figure that out. But the real question was what he was supposed to do next… If he reported his findings to his father or anyone else, there was a high chance that they might find Loki a threat and have him executed. Thor couldn't risk that. And there was also a need to consider that the prison area was compromised, everything gone. It wasn't safe for either Loki or Asgard if they were together and there were too many factors to take into consideration. "Then the best place would be far away from Asgard…" Thor peered around him in question, taking note of how the darkness had destroyed the room. It was no longer useable. There would be nothing to hold Loki in the prisons now.

_Take him away!_

_Save him!_

'Guess there is only one place I can think of to take him.' Thor sighed. He hadn't wanted his brother to be taken back there of all places, the place where he had tried to invade, but it was a better option than leaving him in Asgard. Nodding to himself about that conclusion, he leaned over. "Don't worry, brother. I won't abandon you. I'll protect you in your weakened state, but we can no longer stay on Asgard." He stood up and lifted Loki into his arms, carrying him carefully. The younger male stirred gently at the difference in position, but remained unconscious. Thor smiled at how relaxed the other appeared before finally making his way out of the dungeon. Everything that had been touched by the darkness had been abandoned and it wasn't until a few minutes later when he finally saw the other side that he noticed that the magic had stopped. It was no longer growing, the darkness gone, and the army, along with his family, was peering at the destruction it had left behind. Some were touching the blackened parts in question, no longer affected by it, while others mourned those who had been killed.

"Thor, what are you doing?" Odin was the first one to react when he saw his eldest son along with the prisoner he had sentenced only six months ago. His angered-filled voice boomed through the room and he slammed the end of his spear down onto the ground. Everyone snapped their eyes towards the golden boy of the family. "Put Loki back into his prison cell. He cannot be allowed freedom. He is to be punished for his crimes!"

"I cannot, father," Thor responded, not backing down. He would protect his brother, he had to. "The magic here," he glanced down at the corrosion beneath his feet, "has completely destroyed the prison. Everyone is dead and the barriers are gone. The building looks like it is about to collapse as well. I was afraid that it might have gotten him like everyone else, but it didn't touch him much like myself."

His voice of reason seemed to silence the Allfather and Frigga immediately ran forward, checking over both of her sons. She touched Loki's cold cheeks and sighed happily at the thought of her youngest being safe. Oddly, he didn't stir. Everyone began to move, trying to get things straightened up, leaving the royal family on their own. Some tried to take Loki away to re-imprison him once more, but Thor refused each and every attempt much to Odin's displeasure.

"How did this even happen?" Frigga sighed as she took in the condition of the floor and the walls. Everything was crumbling and with each step she took, the tiles underneath her feet would shatter. Parts of the buildings that were held up by pillars were collapsing, the weight unable to hold itself up any longer.

Thor decided to answer her, not wanting anyone else to hear except for her and his father. "I'm not too sure myself, but it has something to do with brother."

"Loki?"

He nodded. "When I came to him, he had been weakened terribly and unconsciousness. It was hard to stir him, but he did wake. We spoke for a little bit and he appeared surprised by his situation." He looked sorrowfully at Loki in his arms, cradling him carefully. "The magic must have occurred somewhere around him. It looks similar to whatever had attacked during the trial. Perhaps someone is trying to steal him away? Or… use his body while he was imprisoned? I believe he is completely unaware of what's happening to him."

Frigga looked upset at that thought while Odin kept a straight face, staring down at his supposed youngest. The King of Asgard peered up at his eldest and spoke calmly. "And what would you do if it was true? His presence would endanger those around him." He briefly glanced towards his men who had been killed. He could do nothing against the dark magic, everything proved ineffective. Even the magicians that were in the palace were useless despite all the magic they had attempted to throw at it to keep it from advancing. "Nothing we did would stop the spread until it stopped itself a few moments ago."

Thor peered carefully at his brother before staring Odin straight in the eye. "I plan on taking brother to Midgard until we figure things out. There's a high chance that this will happen again and the darkness will just spread further than it already has. If he tries anything, myself and those in Midgard will be able to stop it. Brother is also very weak so he won't be able to do anything for a while."

The two royals glanced at each other momentarily as they tried to figure out what to do. Frigga was okay with the plan, knowing from the undertones in Thor's voice that he was trying to save his brother from destruction. She could always count on her eldest in protecting her youngest. Odin, however, didn't look too pleased with the idea, but he was thinking about the safety of his people. It went above the fate of Midgard and the people there. They both nodded in consent, allowing their eldest to do what he pleased.

Thor sighed happily, glad that they had agreed. This would make things easier. "Then I shall leave right away. It's best to get Loki and myself out of here as quickly as possible before anyone realizes anything."

"Yes, go. We'll keep people from questioning," Odin glanced towards the other guards. "If you find out about anything, report it back immediately. This is considered a threat against Asgard."

Thor quickly shuffled off, keeping himself hidden from the wandering eyes of the people. Everyone was focused on those who had died and the destruction, nothing else. They were mourning the lost. Thor didn't need to ask to know just how many had perished. With his trusty hammer, he flew towards the Bifrost to keep himself out of sight and to prevent the people from recognizing Loki in his arms. Landing just a few feet away from the entrance, he peered down at his brother who was stirring once more. "Brother?"

Loki's eyes opened, unfocused, and peered up at Thor in question. "Thor? What…" He glanced around the area, recognizing that he was outside the prison.

"Don't worry, brother. I'm getting you out of Asgard. Something has happened and I must get you away. It's too dangerous. Please continue to sleep and recover your strength. You're safe right now," He watched for any emotion that would flash through Loki's eyes and he saw it briefly. It was confusion, but also relief. Loki knew he was in safe hands, that his brother wouldn't hurt him purposefully, and he collapsed back into a sleeping state. His body was limp in Thor's hands and the eldest continued on the pathway. He saw Heimdall at the end, looking out into the distance, before turning towards him the moment he entered the interior of the Bifrost. "Heimdall."

"Something is definitely stirring," the other man spoke carefully, taking notice of the limp body in Thor's arms. "Are you sure you want to do this? Loki is not to be trusted and there is a chance that he'll try to escape once he's awake."

"Aye, I know, but I must protect my brother. Something has happened and I cannot explain it. Now will you let me pass? Surely you've heard our conversation."

Heimdall simply stared for a few moments before he moved, heading towards the center of the room. Within moments, the Bifrost was open, the portal swirling at the end. Thor gave his thanks and went forward, jumping into the portal with a destination already in mind. His grip on his brother's body tightened, wondering how this was going to go. He'll just have to find out in the end.

He was unaware of the dark swirl around Loki's fingertips.

* * *

Next is Earth


End file.
